The Regulatory Mix, TMI’s daily blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of a TMI Briefing.
FCC Lifeline Fine Settlement
The FCC announced a $30 Million settlement with Total Call Mobile to resolve both FCC and US Attorney investigations into allegations that the company enrolled tens of thousands of duplicate and ineligible consumers into the Lifeline program. See our 4/11/16 Blog FCC Proposes Record Fine Over Lifeline Program Abuse. As a condition of the settlement, Total Call admits its field agents engaged in various fraudulent practices, that its managers failed to take corrective actions, and that it failed to implement effective monitoring policies and procedures. The $30 million settlement includes a repayment to the Universal Service Fund and a penalty paid to the U.S. Treasury. In addition to the monetary payment, Total Call admits that it violated the Commission’s Lifeline program rules, and agrees to relinquish its FCC and state authorizations to participate in the Lifeline program. It will permanently lose its authorizations to participate in the Lifeline program anywhere in the country.
FCC Commissioner Rosenworcel Statement
In a statement and blog released before her term expired at the end of 2016, FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel released a statement “Bringing The Connected Future To All Americans” that highlights the efforts the FCC took during her tenure to lay a foundation for a more safe, prosperous, and connected future. This includes public safety, education technology and the homework gap, broadband, wireless policy, unlicensed spectrum and Wi-FI, consumer protection, and innovation.
Vermont Supreme Court Proposes Fixed VoIP Is A Telecommunications Service
The Public Service Board has considered the question remanded to it in 2013 by the Vermont Supreme Court and issued a proposed decision concluding that under federal law, fixed VoIP service is a telecommunications service, not an information service. The proposed decision does not address how the Board should regulate providers of VoIP services. Comments on the proposed decision are due on January 20, 2017. The Hearing Officer will establish a procedural schedule for the second phase of this investigation.
CRTC Establishes Broadband Fund
The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission has established a universal service objective that Canadians – in rural and remote areas as well as in urban centers – should have access to voice services and broadband Internet access services on fixed and mobile wireless networks. The CRTC is setting new targets for these services:
- speeds of 50 Mbps download/10 Mbps upload for fixed broadband services
- an unlimited data option for fixed broadband services
- the latest mobile wireless technology available not only to all homes and businesses, but also along major Canadian roads.
A new fund will be used for projects that will help ensure that by 2021 90% of Canadian homes and small businesses have access to fixed broadband services that meet these targets. Applicants will be able to submit funding proposals in order to build or upgrade infrastructure for voice services and broadband Internet access services on fixed and mobile wireless networks. Click here for details.
